"Okay, my imagination when a little schizophrenic too when I was trying to describe to the sales lady what size inserts to get."
"Describe to her how?" Julia asked.
"I opened my hand and curved my fingers and told her I needed something to fill my palm."
"You didn't know that at the time," Julia said.
"Oh, yeah, I did," Mario replied. "Among other things, U. S. Marshals must possess acute powers of observation and memory." He reached over and gave her hand a little squeeze, then rested his arm on the couch behind her.
With all the interaction between family members, it was some time before Jeremy spotted them sitting at the back of the lodge, at which point he stood up, raised his hand to get everyone's attention, and when all heads were turned toward him, he said, "There's someone in this room who early on gave me a little bit of hell, but for a very good reason. He was in charge of keeping Billy alive, and he took his job seriously, which is the understatement of all times. I guess you all know I'm talking about Mario Moretti, who's sitting at the back of the room where we won't notice him, because he's that kind of man."
Mario smiled slightly, raised a couple of fingers in acknowledgement, and said nothing.
"Well, I want to tell you a little about him," Jeremy continued. "First off, I don't know what kind of strings he pulled, but within a week of Billy and I announcing to him that we were getting married, he managed to transport everyone on this ranch to a cow town in eastern Oregon for our wedding, and he bent a few rules to see that Billy's bulls got a good temporary home, thanks to Josh and Genie. Then instead of settling us in some suburban community, he located us on a ranch where Billy and I could do the things we loved most. And when a snowstorm dumped three feet of snow on us the night Willy decided he wanted out of Billy tummy, and Roberta and I ended up being dual midwives, guess who got to babysit two-year-old Amy for the better part of two days. That's right, Uncle Mario. The bottom line is, everyone needs a U.S. Marshal managing their life. These guys are world class. Thanks buddy. You might have a different take on things though, so here's your chance."
This time, instead of a two-finger acknowledgment, Mario stood and stepped to the front of the room, and said, "Overseeing Billy and Jeremy was a piece of cake. It's not easy to allow yourself to disappear, courtesy of the U.S. government. I know, because I've been there. After Roberta witnessed a mob execution and testified against the murderers, she and I were placed in witness protection. But adjustment to a new life and location is hard, and for witnesses like Billy and Jeremy, leaving family is even harder. The program's voluntary so witnesses can leave at any time, although this is always discouraged, but because Billy never had to testify, there's no longer a target on her back. But I still advise members of this family to stay clear of Las Vegas. It's not mandatory, just good sense. So, that winds up my official business with the family."
"I'll drink to that," Jeremy said. He looked at Grace and added, "So Mom, you can drop the Marshal Moretti now and just call him Uncle Mario."
After the chuckles died, Mario raised his hand for quiet, and said, "Just because my official business is over doesn't mean you'll be getting rid of me." He walked over to where Julia was sitting on the couch, held out his hand, and said, "Sweetheart, you need to be with me for this." Julia felt her face flush as she took Mario's hand. Once she was standing beside him, he said, "This beautiful woman has agreed to marry me, so I'll be around as long as she'll have me, and this makes it official." He raised her hand with the ring, and the room filled with applauses.
As soon as everyone settled down, Mario kissed Julia on the cheek, gave her hand a little squeeze, and said, "There's one thing more." He dropped her hand and walked to where Maddy was sitting, and holding up his palm for a high-five, said to her, "How about a truce?"
Ignoring his hand, Maddy stood, and said, "Now that you're marrying a woman in the Hansen sisterhood and are about to become family, how about a hug."
When they hugged, the room exploded with hoots and cheers.
***
That night, Julia snuggled against Mario, and said, "I really feel engaged now, and I think the family is beginning to see you as one of them instead of Marshal Moretti, speaking of which... You said you left your old name behind when you and Roberta went into witness protection. What was your birth name?"
"Mario Angelo Santori," Mario said, "but I dropped Angelo when my wiseguy wannabe buddies gave me a nickname, since made men always have nicknames."
"Which is?"
"Knuckles."
"As in, Mario 'knuckles' Santori?" Julia asked.
Mario nodded. "Back then I was a tough guy, so I thought it had a good sound."
"Then I assume they named you knuckles because you got into a lot of fights."
Mario laughed. "No, because I played marbles."
"Don't you find that a little coincidental?" Julia asked.
"What? Playing marbles, or having knuckles for a nickname?"
"Neither. Having Angelo for a middle name. It proves you're my guardian angel."
"Fallen angel maybe," Mario said, "but if you want to believe otherwise, honey, that's okay with me because I plan to be your guardian angel from now on."
Julia ran her hand across Mario's chest and over his ribs and continued down until she reached her target, and said, "I'd rather you be my fallen angel right now."
Mario grunted and covered her mouth with his, and after a heavy lovemaking session that left Julia both winded and satiated, they showered, and when at last they snuggled together in bed for the night, the last thing Mario said was, "I don't like the idea of flying off to San Francisco and not having my arms around you like this, but if you wake up with night sweats while I'm gone, call me and I'll try to talk you through it. But after I get back, I never want to leave you alone again."
Mario reference to San Francisco set into motion a string of images she'd managed to shut from her mind until then, the exhilaration of making love having blocked out everything else. But now the images were back, images of buildings sitting askew, and cracked, and misaligned highways, with giant holes wide enough for vehicles to fall into...
Several hours later, it was almost a repeat of the night before. Julia awakened, her body damp with sweat. Not wanting Mario to know, she crept out of bed and went into the bathroom and turned on the light, then filled the basin with water to sponge herself off, hoping the light and the tepid water would diminish the dream of buildings swaying like rubber, and her feet mired in the same jelly substance that was slowly swallowing the buildings, and her with them.
She had only just started to sponge herself off when the bathroom door opened, and Mario stood looking at her, his face puzzled. Then his eyes sharpened with awareness. "Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked.
"Because it was only a silly dream, nothing much really," Julia replied. "I just needed to get wide awake. I'm okay now. It's nothing more than a little hanger-on from last night."
Mario sucked in a long breath, and said, "I hope you're being truthful with me because I don't want us to start our lives together not being up front with each other."
"I'm fine, really," Julia said. After running the towel over her body, she took Mario's hand and tugged him to bed, and curling up against him again, she said, "I love you, and I'll have no trouble sleeping now." She kissed him on the cheek and tucked her head into the hollow of his neck and curved her arm around him, then closed her eyes and waited to hear the soft burrs of his breathing that would let her know he was sleeping. But just before she drifted off, she knew he was still awake.
CHAPTER 19
While in San Francisco, Mario received thorough briefings on the operations of the San Francisco District by the Chief Deputy and the Assistant Chief Deputy. Both commended him on the work he'd been doing with hardcore witnesses over the years, and he suspected, early on, the job was his. But during his last interview, while looking across the wide desk of Supervisory Deputy Slocum, Mario's mind was divided be
tween what Slocum was saying, and the fact that Julia had had another troubling dream. He wondered now how often she had dreams so disturbing that she'd awaken covered in sweat...
"Your professional training in law enforcement after joining the Marshal Service is impressive," Slocum said. "Certifications in FBI training, special operations, interrogation, firearms proficiency in multiple anti-terrorist weapons, hand to hand combat, witness security, explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices."
"I try not to pass up any opportunity to be of more benefit to the service," Mario replied.
"I can see that, but there's something that puzzles me. You've been in witness security for twenty years, yet you graduated cum laude from John Jay College, with a BA in Criminal Justice, and you also graduated from the U.S. Marshal Academy. Why have you stayed in witness security so long?" Slocum asked. "Most with your background would want to rise through the ranks. Do you have a problem moving into a supervisory position?"
"Absolutely not," Mario replied. "I've stayed in witness security because I believed my experience growing up in a neighborhood run by the mob, then going through the process of becoming another person through witness security, gave me a unique insight few marshals had, and I believed I had more to give to the service in that capacity than moving up."
"What made you decide to move up now?" Slocum asked.
"I think my usefulness in that area has passed," Mario replied. "The mob's a shadow of what it once was. The days of large, hierarchical organizations that followed clearly defined rules are coming to an end, replaced by dispersed groups like gangs, so the challenge isn't to protect a few witnesses who can finger several powerful mob bosses, but to protect large numbers of witnesses testifying against gangsters that wield far less power than the head of an old mafia family, so I believe I can now serve better in a supervisory role."
"You have a valid point," Slocum said. "Basically, your function here would be as a supervisory deputy in charge of physical security for the U.S. Federal Courthouse for the District of San Francisco, and part of your responsibility would be to perform as the Contracting Officer Technical Representative for the court security officers program."
"I'm certain I can handle the position." Mario replied.
"Large earthquakes are always a possibility here," Slocum went on to say, "in which case, securing prisons, putting down riots, and stopping looting come into play. During last month's quake, highways buckled and emergency equipment couldn't get through." He tossed a folded newspaper across his desk for Mario to see.
Mario picked up the paper and stared at the photo of a section of highway that was twisted and buckled, with two large gaping holes in it, holes big enough for a vehicle.
Something about the image niggled at him.
"That section of highway was up near Napa," Slocum said, "but if a 6.1 earthquake can cause that kind of upheaval, think what a 7.0 would do."
As Mario continued to stare at the photo, another image began to take form. Him walking into Julia's cabin and seeing her at the computer. Going over and kissing her on the temple. Julia shutting down the computer, but before the screen darkened, seeing the same image.
He remembered it now. The twisted sections of asphalt. Road striping following the drops and upheavals. It was all beginning to come together.
Julia waking up soaked in sweat that same night…
Has this been happening often? he'd asked.
Not for a few years, she'd replied.
And the aggressive boxing workout the following day? Maybe to ward off fears about living in San Francisco? But she hadn't said anything to him, for a very simple reason.
She'd broken off her engagement years before because she didn't want to strap her fiancé down with a wife with phobias, and she'd break things off with him too, before she'd hold him back in his career. So he knew exactly what he had to do now.
***
In her cabin, Julia sat cross-legged on the floor in a circle of women that included Maddy, Rose, Kit, Sophie and Emily, and on the couch behind were Grace, Jayne and Maureen. While the women chattered about the engagement party they were planning, Julia found herself surprisingly excited about something that, at age forty-one, should have long since lost its allure, but the enthusiasm of the women was contagious, and she was once again beginning to feel like a bride-to-be…
"We need a theme for the party," Sophie cut into Julia's thoughts, "something romantic that represents both Julia and Mario."
Maddy waved her hand to get everyone's attention. "How about an action figure crawling up the side of the cake, and a Barbie doll on top, who’s oblivious to the fact that a man's getting ready to take her hostage and carry her off to his cave, which will be another cake, smaller, like a groom's cake, but which looks like a cave. We can write the words, U.S. Marshals Service hideout over the entrance to the cave, and put tiny boxing gloves on the Barbie doll."
"That's not romantic," Emily said.
"Of course it is," Maddy argued. "This is a man who's carrying the love of his life to a place she's excited about going to with him."
"You're too young to know true romance," Emily replied. "You and Dimitri are still kids."
"Fine then," Maddy said. "You come up with something better."
"Okay, why not a ranch theme, since Mario was once a cowboy, and he and Julia were reunited here at the ranch," Emily replied. "We could still do the action figure, but we'd have a cowboy instead, and we could stay with the Barbie doll theme."
"Except with a cowboy action figure, everyone around here would see a buckle bunny instead of a Barbie," Maddy said, bringing a round of laughter.
"You guys," Kit cut into the chuckles. "Let's get serious. This is a solemn occasion. Billy was telling me that Roberta always thought there was a woman in Mario's life because whenever she approached him about finding a wife and settling down, he became defensive, like a man who'd been jilted by a woman, but she knew that wasn't the case because he never seemed bitter, only sad and lonely, like someone was missing from his life, which she was."
When everyone looked at Julia, she shrugged, and said, "It seems we've both been lonely, but the time wasn't right."
Maureen, who'd been sitting quietly while observing, said, "Kit's right. Julia and Mario found each other again, after twenty years. We need something symbolic of their love, something special between them that Julia's willing to share."
Julia looked around at the faces staring curiously at her, while the women waited. "Will Mario be coming to this?" she asked.
"Not unless you want him to," Sophie replied. "None of our husbands came to our engagement parties, mainly because they'd rather be drawn and quartered before having to be at something like that, so I'd say no, no men."
Julia again looked around at the faces. "Then there is something," she said. "I've always thought of Mario as my guardian angel, and I still do, and the ironic thing is, his middle name is Angelo, like it's a sign to me. I know you all must think I'm being a hopeless romantic, but I just can't stop thinking that's the case."
"I love that idea," Maddy said. "We could still have the U.S. Marshal cave, but we'd put wings on the action figure and—"
"You just don't get it," Kit cut in. "Julia expressed her true feelings and they need to be honored."
"I didn't mean it in an insensitive way," Maddy said, "but this is an engagement party we're planning. It's supposed to be fun, and maybe a little silly."
Everyone started talking at once, to which Julia said, above the chatter, "I have an idea." When the room was quiet again, she continued. "Instead of a guardian angel theme, since that's a little too close to my heart, maybe something with butterflies." She went to the bedroom and returned with the jewelry box, and sitting down again, set the box in the middle of the circle.
"Oh, my gosh! This is gorgeous!" Maddy exclaimed, lifting the box to her lap.
While Maddy was examining the box, Rose reached out, and said, "Can I see it?"
"Sur
e." Maddy handed the box to her.
Rose passed the tips of her fingers over the inlay of the butterfly, and said, "I know the artist who made this. The butterfly is a power animal. Did Mario give it to you?" she asked Julia.
"Yes, but how did you know?" Julia said.
"Just a hunch," Rose replied. "Power animals bring you their medicine when the time is right. Butterfly's medicine includes the healing of the body, the mind, the spirit, and anything that brings personal power and strength."
"I just want to get this straight," Maddy said. "You're saying, because Mario gave Julia a jewelry box with a butterfly on it, all that's supposed to happen?"
"It doesn't work that way," Rose replied. "It wasn't a random act that had Mario buying the box for Julia. He was guided to do it, but the box comes with a message. Butterfly is asking Julia to transform her life, which takes courage because it means letting go of things that no longer serve her, and change can be scary. But by the time a power animal comes to a person, the transformation process has already begun."
Rose's words brought chills to Julia. They not only reaffirmed what was written on the tiny card, but when Mario gave her the box, the transformation was underway. She was back riding horses, she was learning to box, and she was preparing to adopt two children and start a life with the man, literally, of her dreams.
"Butterfly also brings joy and peace," Rose said. "There's an Indian legend that if you want a special wish to come true, capture a butterfly and whisper your heart's desire to it, and on releasing the butterfly, the wish will be taken on the wings of love to the heavens where the Great Spirit will grant the wish."
"Okay, that does it," Maddy said. "The theme will be butterflies, and we'll hang paper butterflies from the ceiling, and decorate the cake with them, and everyone at the party will make a special wish for Julia and Mario, and write it on a little piece of rice paper cut into the shape of a butterfly, and since rice paper's biodegradable, we'll toss them into the wind to be carried away."
Finding Justice (Dancing Moon Ranch Book 12) Page 22
